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Lamont risks vote over free services

Lindsay McIntosh

September 26 2012, 1:03am, The Times

Johann Lamont said that the 'freebies' for Scots must be overhauledRussell Sneddon/StockPix.eu

Scotland must face up to the hard choice of continuing with free benefits — such as university tuition and prescriptions — or pay for them through higher taxes and slashed services that would hit the poor and vulnerable, according to the Scottish Labour leader.

Johann Lamont, in her most radical policy speech since she became leader at the beginning of the year, said that the “freebies” for Scots must be overhauled or they would soon become unaffordable.

Ms Lamont said the idea that Scotland could remain a nation where everything was free — from personal care for the elderly to bridge tolls — was “a lie” fostered by the SNP, because the bill always had to be met by others.